FINN-UGRIC/URALIC LANGUAGES
Historically Problematic
Morphosyntactic
Features in Uralic
Languages
AGO KÜNNAP
University of Tartu
The introductory chapter 1 of this book addresses
the question of a novel approach to the history of
Uralic – Finno-Ugric and Samoyed – languages.
The investigations clearly show that among the
reconstructed Proto-Uralic structural features by
far not all belong to common Uralic. At the same
time a large number of them find equivalents in
the neighbouring non-Uralic languages.
Chapter 2 is dedicated the problematics of
some Uralic morphosyntactic features. The
genitive with the suffix -n has actually been one
of the earliest Uralic object cases. Uralic
languages are accusativeless because in those
languages there is no individual case form for a
direct object. The primary determinator of the
choice
between
the
indefinite/definite
conjugations
in
Uralic
languages
was
intransitivity/transitivity.
Discrimination
of
indefinite/definite conjugations and concomitant
reference to the number of the objects as well as
to a person of the object in the verbal forms are
phenomenon that is inherent to the whole of
Northern Siberia and, besides Uralic languages
occur in a number of Paleosiberian languages. In
case of Uralic verbal personal k-markers we can
probably come across very little etymologically
common suffix-material inherent to all Uralic
languages and at times they may prove to be of
Turkic origin altogether. It may be supposed that
a non-personal general-definitive function has
always been inherent to the Uralic 3rd person
possessive suffix. An unexpected feature in
several Uralic languages is the lack of the Finnish
type of the pronominal genitive attribute of the
possessive suffix (minun lauluni ‘my my-song’,
cf. the Estonian type without a possessive suffix
in minu laul ‘my song’). It need not necessarily
always indicate the retreat of the use of
possessive suffixes as is usually supposed.
In chapter 3 it is shown that neither does it
exclude the possibility of supposing an eastern
specific relationship of Livonian via an onetime
broken Finno-Ugric linguistic chain. Chapter 4
demonstrates that it would be more discreet to
admit that the origin of the Ugric t-locative, lablative and Hungarian k-plural is not known,
however, it is hardly probable that they should
have a general Finno-Ugric background.
ISBN 3 89586 493 5. LINCOM Studies in
Uralic Linguistics 01. 96pp. USD 65.10 / EUR
52.90 / GBP 45.00. 2006.
Udmurt
EBERHARD WINKLER
University of Munich
Udmurt (Votyak) is spoken by approx. 70 % of
the 750.000 Udmurt as mother tongue (according
to the 1989 census). The Udmurt are living
mainly in their own Autonomous Republic in the
European part of Russia (Vjatka-Kama-Region),
where they constitute less than one third of the
population. Udmurt belongs to the Permic branch
of the Finno-Ugric Languages, which form
together with Samojed languages the Uralic
language family. In former times Turkic
languages (Chuvash and Tatar) had a strong
influence on the grammar of Udmurt, whereas the
younger Russian influence is restricted to the
lexicon. Nevertheless the grammar is typical
Finno-Ugric and shows a lot of common features
with the nearly related more archaic Komi
language. The monograph is based on the Literary
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language and will contain chapters on phonology,
morphology and syntax. Emphasis will be given
to morphology, with special attention to the
verbal inflectional system and the functions of
these categories. The sketch includes a short
Udmurt text with interlinear translation.
ISBN 3 89586 272 X. Languages of the
World/Materials 212. 80pp. USD 54.30 / EUR
44.10 / GBP 37.50. 2001.
On Quantification in
Finnish
PIRKKO SUIHKONEN
University of Helsinki
“On Quantification in Finnish” deals with
quantification of nominal and adverbial phrases
in Finnish and the interaction between
quantification and various syntactic and semantic
structures. The focus will be in the description of
the NPs which are either syntactically subjects
and objects, or adjectives and nouns in the
predicative position. The NPs are classified into
two structural types: (a) NP = DET + N, where
DET (determiner) is lexical, (b) NP = DET + N,
where DET is syntactically complex.
Description of quantification expressed at the
phrasal level concerns, not only lexical
quantifiers, but also different kinds of quantifying
nouns and measuring terms. Special attention is
paid to the complexity of problems concerning
the description of these classes. In particular, the
question will be posed which determiners in the
context DET + N require the noun to be in the
partitive case. In response, a semantic
characterization will be offered. The preliminary
hypothesis is that the semantics of quantification
strongly affects the distribution of morphological
case marking of noun phrases and combinations
of determiners in Finnish. We raise certain
questions about quantifiers which specifically
concern the core quantification system of Finnish,
and have not arisen in languages where the
quantification systems have been previously
studied. The theory of generalized quantifiers
forms the main theoretical framework for the
description of semantic properties of quantifying
determiners and lexical quantifiers.
ISBN 978 3 89586 868 9. LINCOM Studies in
Uralic Linguistics 02. 228pp. USD 104.20 /
EUR 84.70 / GBP 72.00. 2007.
Livonian
CHRISTOPHER MOSELEY
The Livonian, or Liv, language (Livonian randa
ke¤l ‘coast language’) is a member of the BalticFinnic subgroup within Finno-Ugric. It was until
recently spoken in twelve costal villages of
Kurzeme province in Latvia. At the beginning of
the twentieth century it had over two thousand
speakers, but the dispersal of the population
during two world wars and subsequently during
the Soviet period has meant that the language has
not been passed on to younger generations so that
at present only about ten elderly first-language
speakers remain alive.
However, since the independence of Latvia in
1991, teaching of the language has been resumed
and other cultural activities to foster the language
have provoded an opportunity for the belated
revival of the language. Livonian is a written
language, but the orthography has varied
somewhat during the period of just over a century
since it was first committed to writing.
ISBN 3 89586 158 8. Languages of the
World/Materials 144. 120pp. USD 62.60 / EUR
50.90 / GBP 43.30. 2002.
Vogul (Mańśi)
TIMOTHY RIESE
University of Vienna
The Vogul language (endogenous name: Mańśi)
is spoken by approximately 3.000 speakers in
northwestern Siberia. Together with Ostyak, it
forms the Ob-Ugrian branch of the Finno-Ugrian
language family and is generally considered to be
closest relative of Hungarian. In the introductory
section general information on the Vogul people
and their sociolinguistic situation is given. The
dialect described in the following sections on
Vogul phonology, morphology, and syntax is the
Northern one, spoken by the greatest majority of
modern Voguls and forming the basis for the
literary language. Vogul is in the most respects a
typical agglutinative language and its grammar is
relatively straightforward, i.e. unencumbered with
major rules of inflection. In this study particular
care is taken to place (Northern) Vogul in a
general Finno-Ugrian and a complete Vogul
context. This means that although the major
emphasis lies on the synchronic description of
(Northern) Vogul, the discussion is supplemented
by observations of a historical nature to show to
which extent (Northern) Vogul has adhered to
general Finno-Ugrian patterns and to which
extent it has diverged both from the related
languages and other Vogul dialects. This study
closes with a (Northern) Vogul folklore text with
an interlinear transcription and translation
ISBN 3 89586 231 2. Languages of the
World/Materials 158. 90pp. USD 62.60 / EUR
50.90 / GBP 43.40. 2001.
Main Language Shifts
in the Uralic languages
AGO KÜNNAP
University of Tartu
The aim of this book is to address the issue of
some main language shifts in the group of Uralic
languages. The motive for supposing the
language shifts is based on the newest research
results in population genetics. Thus Lapp (Saami)
languages have long been supposed to have
developed in the manner that the Lapps' ancestors
shifted from their earlier language to a FinnoUgric language form. The author believes that
earlier the Lapps spoke some kind of an
unfamiliar language or a Finno-Ugric language
form that they changed for a Finnic language
form. The data of population genetics make one
suppose that the development of Samoyed and
Ugric languages took the same course and that the
Samoyeds' and Ugrians' ancestors shifted from
their ancient, probably a Paleosiberian language
form to a Finno-Ugric language form. At this the
linguistic data seem to indicate that the Samoyeds
obtained a Finnic(-Lapp) language form. A
peculiarity of Mordvin languages "in word stock
they are close to Finnic languages, in grammar to
Ugric and Samoyed languages" makes one also
suppose a language shift.
The introductory chapter I of this book
addresses the question of the historical
development of groups of languages by way of
convergence and divergence, gives a short
overview of the nature of the innovative treatment
of Uralistics as well as the author's aspirations to
distinguish between the actual factology of Uralic
languages and mythical perceptions emerged in
Uralistics.
Chapter II is dedicated to mainly three
language shifts in the Uralic language group:
Samoyed, Lapp and Ugric along with Mordvin.
Chapter III is meant to set a background for
the language shifts under observation by means of
several more recent investigated concrete lexical
and morphosyntactical treatments. As related to
it, the author observes the substratum toponymic
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FINN-UGRIC/URALIC LANGUAGES
matter of North Russia which is unquestionably
partly of the Finnic type and which testifies to the
existence of onetime spoken languages of that
type considerably farther in the east than the
present-day Finnic linguistic area reaches
(supposedly the Samoyeds' shift to a Finnic
language form took place somewhere in the east).
The linguistic area of the use of the accusative
and genitive direct objects as well as the initial
component n of personal suffixes in the Uralic
language group also speaks for the shift from
Samoyed former language(s) to a Finnic language
form.
In chapter IV an example of evidentiality in
the Uralic language group is given, illustrated by
the Samoyed Enets: there is nothing specifically
intrinsic to Uralic languages in it.
The book ends with a Conclusions, an
appendix with Figures and a References.
ISBN 3 89586 454 4. LINCOM Studies in
Asian Linguistics 45. 64pp. USD 66.30 / EUR
53.90 / GBP 45.80. 2002.
Contact-induced
Perspectives in Uralic
Linguistics
AGO KÜNNAP
University of Tartu
The author of the book would make an attempt to
outline a few features of a recent significant
paradigm change in the Uralic (Finno-Ugric and
Samoyed) linguistics. The main factor of
linguistic processes is supposed to be language
contacts, not so much a spontaneous change of
languages, although the latter should also be
borne in mind. The concept of linguistic affinity
has also been subjected to criticism. The common
features of Uralic languages developed thanks to
various contacts among different languages
whereby a language of the lingua franca type
could operate as an intermediary.
Thus any Uralic language could always differ
from other languages of this group, partly
retaining its origin from source language(s),
unknown us to date. Later on it could also,
additionally, become more similar to other Uralic
languages thanks to language contacts or, on the
other hand, it could become more different as a
result of contacts with others than Uralic
languages. The role of a language prestige in the
process of language changes through history is
being emphasized at present.
The similarities between Finnic-Lapp and
Samoyed languages have earlier been regarded as
a result of a better survival of the Proto-Uralic
heritage at the extreme peripheries of the
expansive zone of occurance of Uralic languages.
But the Finnic-Lapp--Samoyed similarities may
hypothetically be regarded as ontime arealtypological (contact) similarities. Northern IndoEuropean languages - Germanic, Baltic and
Slavic - are supposed to have developed so that
the speakers of Uralic language form learned to
speak that of the Indo-European.
ISBN 3 89586 964 3. LINCOM Studies in
Asian Linguistics 39. 90pp. USD 68.80 / EUR
55.90 / GBP 47.50. 2000.
Enets
AGO KÜNNAP
University of Tartu
Enets is one of the Samoyed languages, fairly
little investigated but of considerable interest
from the point of view of historical linguistics.
The native speakers of Enets live in Siberia, on
the eastern bank of the Yenisey River, close to
the estuary of the river.
88 ♦ LINCOM EUROPA• project line 20 • 2010
The written records about Enets were first
fixed in the 17th century. Now there are about
200 Enetses, from them nearly 100 can yet speak
Enets. All the Enetses can speak Russian and/or
Nenets, partly also Nganasan. In the 18th century
the number of the Enets population is supposed to
have exceeded 3,000. The Enetses have never had
their own written language or school instruction
in their mother tongue.
From all the other Samoyed languages, Nenets
and Nganasan are the closest to Enets. Enets has
received most of the outside influence from
Nenets, more recently from Russian. Enets has
two dialects: Bai (Forest) and Madu (Tundra).
The dialects primarily differ phonetically and
lexically, partly also morphologically. The
present outline has been compiled on the basis of
the Bai dialect. In the Enets phonology the
opposition of short and long vowels can be
observed. Although there is a fairly good survey
about the grammar of Enets, very few longer texts
have been recorded. Enets is typologically a
rather common Uralic language. Agglutination
predominates over flection, synthetical features
over analytical ones.
The parts of speech in Enets are nouns,
adjectives, numerals, pronouns, verbs, adverbs,
postpositions, conjunctions, particles and
interjections. Grammatical gender is lacking. The
category of case is primarily expressed by means
of suffixes, there are seven cases. The nouns are
used with the possessive suffix. There are also
subject and object conjugations with differences
in personal suffixes. The nouns may also be
conjugated (nominal conjugation). The Enets
modes are indicative, exadhortative, conjunctive,
debitive,
optative,
imperative,
auditive,
interrogative and quotative. The tenses can be
expressed by a common verbal aspect but in the
preterite and future tenses separate suffixes can
also be used.
The separate orientation can be expressed by a
trinominal distribution of locatives: to where?
where? from where? In case of verbal negation a
separate negative auxiliary is used. The verbal
forms can indicate the subject person and, in
addition to its number, also the number of the
object. Enets has no compound sentences: instead
of a subordinate clause participial, gerundial and
infinitival constructions are used. An attribute
precedes its main word. In Enets there are
numerous loan words from Nenets, particularly
concerning reindeer rearing, Nganasan loans in
connection with reindeer hunting and Russian
loans related to more modern spheres of activity.
This outline is the first extensive modern
survey about Enets.
ISBN 3 89586 229 0. Languages of the
World/Materials 186. 50pp. USD 51.80 / EUR
42.10 / GBP 35.80. 1999.
Kamass
AGO KÜNNAP
University of Tartu
Kamass is one of the Samoyed languages, extinct
to date, relatively little investigated but of
considerable interest from the point of view of
historical linguistics. The Samoyed and FinnoUgric languages together form the Uralic family
of languages. The Kamass native speakers lived
in Siberia, on the northern slopes of the Sayan
mountains. Earlier they were reindeer rearers of
shamanistic faith. Up to date they have changed
to using Russian or some local Turkic language
and become agriculturists.
The first written records about the Kamass
language date back to the year of 1721. The
author of this outline is the last gleaner of the
Kamass linguistic facts whose last informant died
in 1989. Kamass is supposed to have had the
Koibal dialect, the latter, however, has left us
nothing more in writing than about 600 words.
Likewise, the main Kamass dialect itself was
divided into two subdialects.
The number of the native speakers of Kamass
was very small years ago already, perhaps a
couple of hundreds only. Kamass never had an
alphabet of its own, to say nothing about having
its own written language or school instruction.
In Kamass a strong phonetical and lexical
influence by the neighbouring Turkic languages
can be observed. Due to the scarcity of Kamass
written records, it is possible to report only an
approximate phonological characterization and a
few basic features of syntax. On the other hand, a
comparatively good picture can be obtained about
its morphology and lexicology, there are also a
few longer texts available.
Typologically, Kamass is an agglutinative
language with numerous flective markers.
Synthetical features predominate over analytical
ones. On the whole, Kamass is a rather typical
Uralic language. The parts of speech in Kamass
are nouns, adjectives, numerals, pronouns, verbs,
adverbs, postpositions, conjunctions, particles
and interjections. Grammatical gender is lacking.
There are three numbers: singular, dual and
plural. The category of case is predominantly
expressed by suffixes, there are seven cases. For
the complete abstract, please see www.lincom.eu.
ISBN 3 89586 230 4. Languages of the
World/Materials 185. 50pp. USD 51.80 / EUR
42.10 / GBP 35.80. 1999.
Ostyak
IRINA NIKOLAEVA
Russian Academy of Science
This study is intended to provide a grammatical
description of Ostyak, one of the Uralic
languages spoken in Western Siberia. The
description is based on the Northern Ostyak
dialect of Obdorsk, although divergent features of
other dialects are also discussed. The present
paper emphasizes the syntactic aspect of the
language, typically ignored in previous
descriptive work on Ostyak, which mostly
concentrates on its phonology and morphology.
Part 1 is a concise sketch of the Ostyak
grammar, made up of the following sections:
"Introductory remarks" (geo- and sociolinguistic
data, previous studies, dialect division),
"Phonology" (including phonotactics and
prosody), "Morphology" (grammatical categories,
word formation, illustrative paradigms), and
"Basic syntax" (types of simple and complex
sentences, discourse phenomena). A sample text
in the Obdorsk dialect of Ostyak is provided.
Part 2 elaborates on certain syntactic topics
that are of a particular interest from the
typological viewpoint. In particular, the following
topics are discussed: information structure and
word order, object agreement, passivization, the
relative clause, clause-chaining and reference
tracking, and the category of the evidential.
Part 3 serves to provide the necessary
reference. It contains the bibliography relevant to
the present study, as well as the basic
bibliography on Ostyak. The latter includes
editions of the folklore texts, lexicographic
publications, comprehensive descriptions, and the
most important studies on certain aspects of the
Ostyak grammar.
ISBN 3 89586 562 1. Languages of the
World/Materials 305. 100pp. USD 58.90 / EUR
47.90 / GBP 40.70. 1999.